By this time of year, I ought to be doing a lot of Sunday rides to the coast. Real rides, up Old LaHonda, over Haskins, lunch at Arcangeli Bakery in Pescadero (splitting a chicken club sandwich with Kevin, plus a mountain dew and monster cookie), then back over the three Stage Road climbs, descend to Tunitas with that beautiful view of the Pacific, and then up Tunitas & down Kings.

A real, “honest” ride. From my house, about 57.5 miles, 6400ft of climbing, perfectly-placed food stop and, if you do it right (meaning: full effort!) you get legs that let you know you’re there when descending stairs. A special type of pain that only comes from a really tough, longer climb.

I’m also, for reasons unknown, wishing I could really run myself into the ground doing the full Santa Cruz loop. Head out to Pescadero, Gazos Creek to the coast, lunch at Davenport, turn up Highway 9 in Santa Cruz, quick food/coke stop at the last gas station in Boulder Creek, then the long run up 9 to Skyline. But without Mr Mustard at the top, whatever you picked up in Boulder Creek has to last all the way north on Skyline, down into Woodside and home. Why am I missing that?

The issue is Kevin’s knee. He’s as much out of commission, after his expensive and painful knee procedure (platelet-rich plasma reinjection) as he was before. With no end to the pain in sight. So I’m pretty much solo riding these days, or riding with ex-Pilot Kevin, if our schedules work out (meaning he didn’t ride himself into the ground the day prior).

My usual Sunday ride is far from flat, although darned if I can tell where the 3,163ft of climbing come from.

At least I’m still doing the regular Tuesday/Thursday morning ride, same as it ever was, only slower. May need to move it forward 15 minutes so I can get back in time, although hoping that I’ll speed up a bit as it gets warmer.

But I really do miss riding with Kevin.